Folding box.



J. G. REBER, DEGD.

o. s. REBER, ADMINISTRATRIX.

FOLDING BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1905.

Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lLozaas.

JL L J. G. REBER, DBGD.

o. s. REBER, ADMINISTRATRIX.

FOLDING BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY a1, 1905.

Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

4 SHEETS-'SHEET 2,

J. G. REBER, DEGD. ff 0. S. REBER, ADMINIBTEATBIX.

FOLDING BOX.

APPLIOATlON FILED MAY 31, 1906.

Patented Aug. 13,1912.

J. G. REBER, DECD.

0. S. REBER., ADMINISTRATRIX.

FOLDING BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 190s.

Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

4 SHEETB-SHEET 4.

UNITED sTATns PATENT clasica.

JOHN G. REBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; OLIVE S. REBER, ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID JOI-IN G. REBER, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO THE SEFTON MANUFACTURING COIVI- PANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

FOLDING BOX.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. REBER, a citizen of the United States, y residing at Chicago, in the coi-mty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to folding boxes generally, but more particularly though not necessarily, to that type or character of folding box known as hat boxes, suit boxes and the like, and the object of my invention is to produce a novel construction and arrangement of folding box possessing merits and features of utility not found in boxes of the general character as now in use. The box is so formed as to be economical of the material or stock and also is so arranged as to be assembled or set` up from its fiat or collapsed form to a box form in an automatic manner by a simple manipulation c ,onsisting, in the present instance, in bringing the end Walls toward each other. When so assembled or setJ up the box may be held in this condition by a suitable fastening means, and, Without removing such fastening means, may be collapsed by a movement of the end walls the reverse of that referred to is assembling orsetting up the box.

Other features of advantage and utility ywill be apparent from' the description hereinafter given.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the blank from which the box is formed; Fig. 2 a plan view of the box in tlat collapsed form; Fig. 3 a perspective illustrating the manner in which the box is set up by bringing the ends toward each other; Fig. 4 ay perspective of the box set up ready for use, with the exception that the flaps on the end walls have not yet been brought down in place; Fig. a plan view of the box lid in fiat. cr collapsed form; Fig. 6 a detail View illustrating a modification as to the holding of the corner folds in proper position relative to the end walls without connection with the latter; Fig. 7 a plan view of one of the members of a so-called suit box embodying my invention; Fig. 8 a perspective view of a form of box modied as to its inturned flaps; Fig. 9 a'plan ot' the same box Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 31, 1905.

Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

serial No. 263,163.

in flat form; and Fig. l0 a detail view illustrating a method which may be adopted for threading or lacing the string or tape through the end walls of the box. Fig. 11 is a plan of a portion of a blank somewhat -similar to that of Fig. l, but illustrating a different method of folding of the corners. In the said drawings the score lines or lines of fold are indicated by a single lille on each side of which are fainter shade lines; and slits are designated by a single sharp black line.

As hereinbefore stated, my invention is particularly applicable to such folding boxes commonly referred to as hat boxes, suit boxes, and the like, but it will be understood that my invention is not limited to such styles or types of boxes and it will also be understood that I contemplate emplo-ying my invention Wherever applicable. However, for the purpose of affording a clear and definite disclosure of my invention, I have chosen to describe and illustrate it as embodied in a hat box and also in a suit box, the hat box being herein illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 and 8 and 9, and the suit box in Fig. 7.

Referring to the embodiment of my invention as illustrated in Figs. l to 4, the box, which is here formed from a single blank, comprises a bottom l, to which are connected or hinged the opposite side walls 2, Qat the score lines l, as well as the end walls 3, 3 on the score lines 1". In the box illustrated all the walls arc of equal area, the designations end and side walls being adopted merely for convenience, in description to distinguish one sety of opposite walls from the other. The bottom and also thc side walls may be made of any suitable dimensions according to the desired size or proportions of the box. At, the corners of the blank are formed the pairs or sets of triangular corner folds 4 and 5 hinged to cach other along an oblique or diagonal score line, the corner folds 4 being separated from the end walls 3 by the slits while the corner folds 5 are hinged to the side walls 2. Each of the corner folds 4 is provided .with an extension 7 and the walls Q and 3 are provided on their outer edges with exever, the ends of .the Haps 3a tensions or fiaps 2a and 3a respectively. The score lines which form the flaps 3fL are shown in Fig. 1 as extended and defining the extensions 7. In the blank from which this figure of the drawing was taken such score lines were so extended. This is merely incidental and inessential.

In practice, the blank formed as just described is assembled or folded together for the use of the consumer or user in such manner as to appear in flat or collapsed form as in Fig. 2. In this process of folding, the side walls 2, 2 are turned over flat upon the bottom 1 and the corner folds 4, 5 are likewise turned over and i-nwardly upon the end walls 3, 3. In this operation, the corner folds are turned at an angle with the free edges of folds 4 coinciding with the score lines 1b, these folds resting directly upon thev end walls 3, with the corner folds 5 resting directly upon their respective corner folds 4. Moreover, in this folding operation, referring to the particular box being described, the pairs of extensions 7 are caused to overlap each other and the same, together with the corner folds, folded as described, are held in such position in suitable manner, as by gluing, stapling or the like, but preferably by means of staples 9, as seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, after which the fiaps 3 which are of considerably less height than their walls 3 are folded downwardly and suitably secured at their middle to their walls and to the extensions 7. As herein shown, lie the folds 4 and 5 and arepermanently secured intermediate their ends by means of eyelets 8 which may be found convenient for receiving the usual string or tape for fastening the lid onto the body of the box, but other means of fastening may be employed in place of eyelets, in all cases, howbeing fre-e to be flexed to permit the moving or swinging members of the corner folds to pass beneath the same in the operation of assembling the box and to be released when the box is being collapsed. The blank now assumes the condition illustrated in Fig. 2, in which form it is shipped to the consumer ready for his use.

In practice, the described box being in the flat or collapsed form, the operator simply folds up the end walls, with the result that, as indicated in Fig. 3, which represents the first opening movementsof the collapsed box, the side walls, 2, 2 fold upwardly automatically by reason of t-he 'pressure exerted by the operator in foldingthe end walls upwardly and bringing them toward each other. At the same time, thevcorner folds 5 ,move upwardly and outwardly turning on the diagonal hinge connection with the cor-I responding fold 4 (in the described example the outer edges 5a of folds 5 slipping along and by preference, the flaps 3a over lflaps which fold the under face of the flaps 3a) until they assume their position flat against the end walls 3, 3 with their outer faces or sides lying against the inner side of the end walls and with such edges 5a of folds 5 positioned underneath the flaps 3a and coinciding with their hinge joint with sides 3, it beingl understood that such flaps 3a yield sufficiently toward their ends to permit of the described folding or movement of the corner folds after which such flaps take their position inside of and covering the upper edges of such folds, thereby holding them in place. The -box now assumes the condition illustrated in Fig. 4, the same being ready for use.

be of any suitable arrangement or construct-ion, but I prefer to make the same on the same principle as the vbody of the box, to which end, as illustrated in Fig. 5, such lid comprises a top 10, two pairs of' side walls 11 and 12 hinged thereto, flaps 11a on walls 11, sets of corner folds 13 and 14, and extensions 15 at each corner. Eyelets 16 or the like secure together the flaps 11a, extensions 15 and walls 11. In setting up the lid for use, the walls 11 are brought toward each other in the same manner as the walls 3 of the body of the box.

A hat box constructed and arranged as hereinbefore described is thus, as to each of its sections, that is the body and the lid. made of a single piece o-r blank with an entire bottom, or top, as the case may be, in other words a bottom or top having no folds whatsoever, while two of thewalls, in the presentinstance for convenience designated the end walls, may be formed of double thickness, so far as the body is concerned. Moreover, in the present instance, the box body and lid are strengthened by the endover the top edges, of the corner folds in the manner and for the purposes described, while the ends of the box body are further strengthened by the extensions 7, 7 which therefore afford a triple thickness at the center line of the end walls of the box body without taking into consideration the additional thickness which is provided along the top edge'of the end walls by the presence of the fiaps or extensions 3a. Furthermore, the construction and arrangement provides for an automat-ic and rapid manipulation or setting up of the box from its collapsed or flat form, this manipulation being simply the upfolding and the bringing toward each other of the end walls of the box, the side walls and corner folds spring;- ing up, as it were, into proper position without any effort or attention on thc part of the operator except that required for folding up the end walls, as stated and being held in set-up position by the iaps?)a of the opposite` ends walls 3.

The lid for-the box above described may,

As hereinbefore stated, the string or tape for fastening the lid to the box body may be passed through or anchored in the eyelets 8 but if desired a special manner for threading the tape may be adopted having reference or useful application to the herein described particular form and manipulation of box. Such special threading is illustrated in Fig. 10, in which the fixed ends of the tapes 17 are shown secured to the extensions or flaps 3a near their outer edges, such tapes preferably passing through eyelets 18 in such fiaps, the tapes further passing upwardly along the outer sides or faces of the flaps 3a and over the top thereof and alongside of the end walls 3 through openings 19 some distance down from the upper edges ,of the latter. The tapes are also passed through the overlapping extensions 7, 7 and lare then passed inwardly and over the lower edges of the flaps or* extensions 3, back through the eyelet 18 and then through the openings or holes 20 in the extensions 7, 7, and end walls 3, the free ends of theitapes being arranged on the outside of the box and beingleft of sufficient length to pass over the topof the box for the purpose of tying them together to hold on the lid in the usual and well known manner. However,A this threading of the tape may be in the reverse direction by starting with the tape at the same place as before, but extending the same around over the lower edge of the flap 3 through the openings 19, thence upwardly along the outside surface of the end wall 3, over the top thereof, down the outerl surface of the extension 3, through the eyelet and thence through the openings 2O to the outside of the box.

The above described arrangement or threading of the tapes provides a very etlicient and desirable means, both for holding or anchoring the fixed ends of the tapes or strings and also for holding the fiaps 3u securely and firmly in proper position over the end walls 3, 3, as well as the tops of the corner folds, besides' permitting the tapes to be easily loosened for the purpose of enabling ak deep box to be set up.

My invent-ion is equally well adapted for folding boxes other than hat boxes, by alteration in dimensions or proportions and other slight incidental changes that are obvious after the present disclosure of the principle of my invention. For instance, my invention may be embodied in what is commonly known as a suit box or box commonly employed for the packaging o-f clothing and the like, as used by tailors, merchants, etc. In Fig. 7, I have illustrated such embodiment of my invention in a suit box and have therein illustrated one of the members or sections of a box of that character, in which nach section or half of the box comprises a part 21, representing the top or bottom,as the case described box, but are separated some distance, owing to the width of the end walls 23, but such extensions are secured in place and in proper relation to the end walls, as well as to the end extensions or flaps 27. In the present instance and by preference, these parts are secured together by pairs of eyelets 28 passing through the end flaps 27, extensions 2G and end walls 23. It is obvious, after the foregoing description, that the act of bringing the end walls 23 toward each other serves to distend or set up the box in the same manner as the box illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.-. It will be understood that the other half or companion section of the suit box is made either slightly larger or slightly smaller than that illustrated in Fig. 6, so that one will fit or telescope into the other, in the usual and well known manner.

The marginal flaps on the body of the box illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 extend inwardly as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, and are intended to remain in such horizontal position by virtue of the strength of their hinging connection with their walls without any other support. However, it is desirable in some instances to provide means for so, supporting these flaps, to which end I have illustrated, in Fig. 8, a box whose marginal flaps 29 are provided at their ends with notches 30, which engage or interlock with each other, and thereby serve to support each other, as well as to aid generally in strengthening the box at its corners. The construction and arrangement is such that when the tape 31 which is passed through the flaps 29 and through the walls of the box, are drawn together, the middle portion 'fif the two opposite fiaps 29, through which the strings or tapes are passed, is brought down close to the inner surface of either of the walls, but without disengaging thc flaps at their interlocked ends.

It is obvious, after this disclosure of my invention, that the same may be embodied in still other forms and types of boxes and also that the folding may be done in somewhat difl'crent manner, all without departing from` the spirit and scope of my invention.' For instance the corner folds 1 and 5, instead of folding with their inner faces upon each other, lnay be arranged to fold with their outer faces upon or adjacent each other. In this modified form of construction the extensions 7, 7 are omitted, as illustrated in Fig. 11, the triangular folds' 32 and 33 being otherwise similar to the folds 4 and 5, already described except that as shown by the score lines in Fig. 11. In

practice, the corner folds 32 are turned over inwardly and downwardly upon the end walls 3, with their respective inner surfaces or faces together and in order to permit of the setting up of the box in the general manner hereinbefore described, the corner folds 32 are secured along their outer edges 32a to the outer edges of the end walls 3. It will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 3 that when the end walls of the box are folded toward each other, thereby elevating the side walls and folding the corner folds 33 upwardly and outwardly, they corner folds 32 which are in fixed position with relation to the end walls 3 will rise and meet their companion corner folds when the end walls are in their vertical position, it being understood that the outer sides or faces of the triangular folds are adjacent each other when the box is thus set up ready for use.

In assembling the box and also in bringing it to the flat or collapsed form illustrated in the drawings, the corner folds 4 are held to a fixed relation with respect to their adjacent end walls 3, and by this I mean such a relation that the said corner 'folds 4 move with and not independently of the end walls, but it will be understood that this holding or retaining of such corner folds in such relation may be accomplished in different ways without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and claims. In the construction illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the corner folds are not only held together through the medium of the extensions 7, but are held connected by means of the eyelets to the end walls themselves. Again, as shown in Fig. 7, the fixed 'relationship of these corner folds with respect to the end walls is obtained by simply securing them to such walls, while in Fig. 11 the outer edges 32a of the corner folds 32 corresponding tothe corner folds 4 of Fig. 1 may if desired be secured vdirectly to the end walls 3 in suitable manner as by pasting, stapling and the like. It is obvious, however, that these corner folds need not be secured or fastened tothe end walls, but such fixed relationship otherwise secured, as by fastening the adjacent corner folds 4 together, as is shown in the modified form in Fig. 6, where the eyelet .or other fastening is shown as passing simply through the extensions 7 and not through the end walls 3 and it is also obvious that the corner folds 32 illustrated in Fig. 11 after having been arranged beneath the flaps corresponding to the flaps 3a of Fig. 1 will sustain fixed relationship to the end Walls without any special 'fastening or securingv means, as in the movement of the end walls of the box in assembling aand collapsing the same the corner folds 32 do not pass from beneath said flaps, even though not directly secured or fastened to the end walls of the box.

It will be observed that in the setting up of my improved box and in collapsing the same the corner folds 5 of Fig.- 1 and the corresponding `folds in the other gures of the drawing move on the diagonal hinge connection thereof with the companion members of the corner folds, swinging to one side of said diagonal hinge line when the box is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 2, and

to the other side of said line when the 'box is assembled as shown in Fig. 4, and other corresponding figures of the drawings.

By the use of my invention, I am enabled not only to obtain the advantage of economy in stock or material and of convenience and ease in manipulation in setting up the box ready for use, but also to dispense with the use of tongues and the like, which are objectionable in boxes of this character now in general use, not only because of the time in setting up the box, but also because of.

the liability of one portion of the box catching in the tongue or slits, especially where the two portions of the box are intended to slide or telescope into each other. In my form of box, the surfaces of the tWo portions which slide upon each other `are smooth and do notv present any interference one with the other, with the result that one portion may beeasily telescoped into the other in the proper and intended manner.

The claims of this application generically cover the form of invent-ion illustrated in Fig. 11, but such form is not herein specifically claimed, the same forming the subject matter v of a divisional application filed April 27, 1908, Serial No. 429,378.

I claim:

1. A collapsed box, comprising a base, a

pair of sidewalls and a pair of end walls hingedly connected to the base alongfolding lines, one set of walls lying flatgon the base with infolded portions at the ends thereof, flaps hingedly secured to the outer sides of the other set -of walls, and means securing each iiap between its ends to the wall upon which it is folded with the end portions of the flaps overlying the infolded portions.

2. A collapsed box, comprising a base, a pair of side walls and arpair of end walls hingedly connected to the base along folding lines, one set of walls lying flat on the base with infolded portionsl at the ends thereof, flaps of less height than said walls hingedly connected to the outer sides of the other set of` walls and means securing each flap between its ends to the wall upon which it is folded.

3. A folding box comprising a bottom, walls connected therewith, pairs of corner folds, one member ofl each pair being hinged to a side wall and the other member belng arranged, together with the similar member of the adjacent pair, in fixed relationship with respect to an end wall, and flaps on the end walls of less height than such walls, folded inwardly and downwardly upon the corner folds, secured intermediate their ends to the end walls, and having end portions free to be flexed to facilitate the setting up and collapsing of the box, substantially as described.

4. A folding box comprising a bottom, walls connected therewith, and pairs of corner folds, one member of each pair being hinged to a side wall and the other member being connected at its outer edge to an end wall, and flaps on the end walls of less height than such walls, folded inwardly and downwardly upon the corner folds, secured intermediate their ends to the end walls, and having end portions free to be flexed to facilitate the setting up and collapsing of the box, substantially as described.

5. A folding box comprising a' bottom, walls connected therewith, and pairs of triangular corner folds, the members of each pair being hinged together, and one member being hinged to one of the side walls and the other member being folded over upon the adjacent or end wall and secured to the latter, and flaps on the end walls, said flaps being of less height than and secured to said walls, folded inwardly and downwardly upon said corner folds, of less height than and secured intermediate their ends to the end walls, and having end portions free to be flexed to permit the setting up and collapsing of the box, substantially as described.

6. A folding box comprising a bottom, walls connected therewith, and pairs of triangular corner folds, the members of each pair beinghinged together, and one member being hinged to one of the side walls and the other member being folded over upon the adjacent or end wall and secured at its outer edge along substantially the middle vertical line of the latter wall, and flaps on the end walls, said flaps being of less height than the end Walls and secured at their middle portions thereto, and infolded upon the corner folds to maintain the latter in position, the ends of the flaps being free to be flexed to permit the setting up and collapsing of the box, substantially as described.

7. A foldingl box comprising a bottom 1,

'walls 2, 2 and 3, 3 hinged thereto, pairs of triangular-shaped corner folds 4, 5, the members of each pair being hinged to each other, the folds 5 being hinged to their walls '2, 2 and the folds 4 being separated from the edges of the walls 3, 3 by slits or cuts, extensions 7, 7, at the outer edges of the folds 4, secured to each other and to the sides 3, 3 when the corner folds are folded inwardly, and flaps or extensions 3:l hinged on the walls 3, 3 and arranged to fold inwardly over the inturned corner folds, substantially as described.

8. A folding box comprising a bottom, walls hinged thereto, pairs of corner folds connected with the walls, flaps on two of the opposite walls folded inwardly toward their walls and upon said corner folds, and means for securing together each of said opposite walls and its flap and two adjacent ,corner folds, substantiallv as described.

9. A folding box comprising a bottom, walls hingedly connected thereto, plural member corner folds hingedly connected together and hingedly connecting said walls, flaps on opposite walls of the box of less height than said walls folded inwardly upon the corner folds, means permanently securing said flaps intermediate the ends thereof, one member of each corner fold lying against the inner face of the flapcarrying walls beneath said flaps in all positions of said walls, and the other member of said corner folds moving upon the hinge connection between such corner fold members in setting up or collapsing the box, the end portions of said flaps being free to be flexed to receive the moving members of the corner folds in setting up the box and to release the same in collapsing the box, subi st-antially as described.

.10. A folding box comprising a bottom, L

'ranged to lie against the inner faces of the adjacent walls, flaps on the last-mentionedl walls of less height than said walls folded inwardly upon the corner folds, and means permanently securing said iaps to said walls intermediate the ends of said flaps, the end portions of said flaps being free to be flexed to permit the setting up and collapsing of the box, substantially as described.

11. A folding box comprising a bottom, side and end walls hingedly connected thereto, corner folds, the members of which are hingedly connected together, one member of each of which lies against the inner face of the end walls of the box and serves to connect the other members of the corner folds thereto, said other members of each corner fold being also hingedly connected to the side walls of the box and arranged to move into parallelism with said end walls at one side of the hinged connection therewith when the box is set up and into parallelism with said walls on the other side of said hinged connection therewith when the box is collapsed, and flaps carried by and of less height than said end walls adapted to vfold inwardly and permanently secured intermediate their ends to said end walls, the

end portions of said flaps being free to be flexed to receive and hold the movable members of the corner folds when the box is set n up and permit said members to pass from nected together, one member of each corner fold lying against the inner face of opposite Walls of the box in all positions of said Walls, the other member of each corner fold l hingedly connected to opposite Walls of the box to automatically move on its hinged connections to permit the setting up or collapsing of the box, flaps carried byy opposite Walls of less height than said Walls and permanently connected intermediate its ends to said Walls, the ends of said flaps being free to be iiexed to engage over the movable corner fold members to hold the box in assembled form, and release said members to permit the box to be collapsed, substantially as described.

JOHN G. REBER.

Witnesses:

S. E. HIBBEN, LOUIS B. ERWIN. 

